2017 Jerry Shook Practitioner Award

Dr. Jerry Shook (1948-2011)

Due: 9/1/17

Dr. Jerry Shook founded the Behavior Analyst Certification Board that has established a professional identity for ABA practitioners. In his memory, we recognize the work of an outstanding Board Certified Behavior Analyst each year at the BABAT conference.

If you, a colleague, or someone you supervise is making exceptional and enduring contributions to the quality of life of individuals through the practice of ABA we want to hear from you.

The Jerry Shook Practitioner Award is unique in that it’s not intended to recognize the work of senior practitioner or researcher who have made lifelong contributions to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis or the student who has recently graduated from an ABA program and has had a distinguished graduate career. The intent of the Jerry Shook Practitioner Award is to catch those BCBA practitioners who are somewhere in the middle range of their careers, to tell them they’ve done a great job as practitioners, and to continue with their contributions to the practice of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Each year we receive nominations for several exceptional BCBA practitioners and it is always a challenge for the BABAT board of directors to narrow it down to one recipient of the award. This is truly a difficult task because while only one BCBA practitioner can be recognized on a yearly basis at the BABAT conference we know that all the nominated BCBA’s do outstanding work to improve the lives of the people they serve. As a suggestion, perhaps every agency establish their own annual event through an award ceremony, a recognition breakfast or lunch, or some other consequence that recognizes their BCBA’s contributions and in turn nominate one of the BCBA’s you’re honoring for the Jerry Shook Practitioner Award.

Practitioners you nominate should:

Possess an advanced degree (masters or doctorate).

Be no more than 15 years post graduation (i.e., early to mid career)

Be board certified/licensed in ABA.

Practice ABA in one of the five New England States.

Practice in the field of ABA according to its defining dimensions (applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, effective, generality).

If you know of a BCBA practitioner who has impressed you over the course of their careers as having made important contribution(s) to the quality of life of an individual(s) through the use of applied behavior analysis, please complete the Jerry Shook Practitioner Award Nomination form describing the contribution(s) they have made and why you feel they should be nominated for the award. In your description, try to emphasize the role ABA has played in this accomplishment. Self-nominations are acceptable.

The winning nominee will:

Receive free registration to the BABAT conference.

Attend the speaker’s dinner on Thursday evening at the conference where they will have the opportunity to talk to some of the leading researchers in ABA.

Receive an award at the conference commemorating their accomplishment.

Please complete the Jerry Shook Practitioner Award Nomination below. Please contact gordon@babat.org for questions or if you have problems with the form below.

All nominations must be received no later than 9/1/17 and include the nominee’s and your name, e-mail address, phone number and work location. The winning nominee will be informed by 9/15/17.

Finalists will be contacted by phone for a brief interview on their project(s) and may be required to provide some form of permanent product on their project(s) (e.g., data, protocol, etc.) that will allow us to verify the project(s).